KEVIN YOUNG, DIRECTOR
60822 Creek Road
Niles, MI 49120
269-684-3870
kevin60822@sbcglobal.net
MARCH/APRIL 2026 GRANGE NEWS
Yes, snow is a part of everyday life during winter in our community. And don’t we often wish we didn’t have to live with it, but we couldn’t live without it.
I hope you also took time to look over all the class offerings not only in the Agriculture Department but all of the contests for every Department in the new Program Book that was in the last issue of the MGN. There are lots of activities for young and old in the Program Book. I did add one sub category in the Agriculture contests. My 1st quarter Bulletin talked about it and gave steps to take to “preserve” a pie pumpkin that you then use as a vase to put either fresh, dried or artificial flowers in. This could be a fun class to try out.
If you are able to buy local, please support your neighbors or the small businesses in your communities over shopping at the Big Box stores. The small businesses and your neighbors will be the first ones to be hurt by the lack of funding or cut programs.
Please remember that Spring is a time for new beginnings and growth. I hope you all can Grow your Grange! Watch out for farm machinery on the roads in April. Keep our farmers safe!!
Here is hoping 2026 is another great Grange year for all and brings bounty to our Agriculture Neighbors and Friends!
Spring is just around the corner!! It is February 23rd as I sit and write to you. Winter finally reminded us what winter used to be like when I was younger! We have had plenty of winter “moisture” this year. We had a nice warm up during the week of Feb 16th and all of the snow that we have had since December finally all melted. But, not to disappoint, we got about 14” in 2 days time! Now we are looking to finish February with temps in the 40s and 50s At least we received moisture to help replenish the ground prior to growing season.
I hope everyone that plants a garden, no matter the size, took the time to plan their garden plantings for this growing season. It won’t be long, and we will be out working up the soil in preparation to plant and reap the harvest through the growing year.
Yes, snow is a part of everyday life during winter in our community. And don’t we often wish we didn’t have to live with it, but we couldn’t live without it.
I hope you also took time to look over all the class offerings not only in the Agriculture Department but all of the contests for every Department in the new Program Book that was in the last issue of the MGN. There are lots of activities for young and old in the Program Book. I did add one sub category in the Agriculture contests. My 1st quarter Bulletin talked about it and gave steps to take to “preserve” a pie pumpkin that you then use as a vase to put either fresh, dried or artificial flowers in. This could be a fun class to try out.
If you are able to buy local, please support your neighbors or the small businesses in your communities over shopping at the Big Box stores. The small businesses and your neighbors will be the first ones to be hurt by the lack of funding or cut programs.
Please remember that Spring is a time for new beginnings and growth. I hope you all can Grow your Grange! Watch out for farm machinery on the roads in April. Keep our farmers safe!!
Here is hoping 2026 is another great Grange year for all and brings bounty to our Agriculture Neighbors and Friends!
Until later….
AGRICULTURE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 GRANGE NEWS
Happy New Year everyone! Wow, 2025 is in the books and 2026 has just started! Well, I am sure everyone is starting to think about Spring and winter is not even half over! I know it is important to have snow during the winter months as that helps to add moisture to our farm fields and helps to protect the winter wheat during the cold months. So far, we have had a good bit of snow in my area of Michigan which seems weird as it is December 14th as I sit writing this article. What snow we had earlier in November around Thanksgiving stayed around longer than normal because the temperature stayed cold. I hope this isn’t a sign of what winter is going to be like. I do not like cold weather where the high temperatures do not get over 32. The way we had such a very hot summer, we will probably have the opposite for winter!
Yes, snow is a part of everyday life during winter in our community. And don’t we often wish we didn’t have to live with it, but we couldn’t live without it.
So, while you sit and look at the snow float from the sky, think about what you might want to plant in your gardens or yards this coming spring. Now is a great time to be looking through the seed catalogs and plant books for those special favorites you might want to plant and then share the crops with friends and neighbors.
Here is a good reason to plan early. Be sure to check out the Agriculture Department in the Program Book. I left the classes from 2025 in the program book for 2026. I may have added a new “decorated pumpkin” sub class, so be sure to check out the Program Book. I know it is tough trying to get things to last until our State Session, but I try to have classes that the produce would still be good to enter. If our State Session was during the late Summer or early Fall months, we could do more classes to deal with fruits, vegetables and flowers. Remember that the class under Flowers: Bloom is any type of flower bloom and they are fresh not dried. Please be sure to keep the inserted Program Book for the 2026 State Session.
Well, that is all for now.
Here is hoping 2026 is another great Grange year for all and brings bounty to our Agriculture Neighbors and Friends!
Until later….
